Gate stop for turbine construction



Jan. 19 1926.

H. SYVERTSEN GATE STOP FOR TURBINE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l amen m f/ar a/dfl eriserz Nor/nus H. SYVERTSEN GATE STOP FOR TURBINE CONSTRUCTION Jan. 19 1926.

Filed Feb, 20 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fhm/d J pze Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HABALD S YVERSTEN, YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO 3. MORGAN MITH COMPANY, 01 YORK, PENNSYLVANIA,

A QOBPORATION OI PENNSYLVANIA.

earn s'ror non runnnm consrnucrron.

Application filed February 20, 1825. Serial ,Ro.10,818.

To all-whom it mag concern: Be it known that I, HABALD Srvnnrsnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements ire Gate Stops for Turbine Construction, of which the following is a specification.

The resent invention relates to stop means or the gates of turbine installations and is adapted to be applied either to the bottom or top plate ad acent the runner or wheel of the turbine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gate stop which is dis sed in such position, or projects either cm the bottom or top plate of a turbine installation, as to come within the cored opening of each gate and prevent the gate from swinging around its stem and coming into contact with the runner buckets in the event of breakage of the connections between the gates and the operating means therefor.

A further object of the invention is to dispose the improved gate stop means with-. in the cored openings of the gates, so that in any osition of the latter and at all times the sai sto means is out of, or does not in the least mterfere with, the clear water passages formed between the gates when the latter are open to supply the runner, and thereby avoid the formation of any obstruction to the flow of the water, however slight, between the gates, and also eliminate any rojection in the water passages that might vs a tendency to gather leaves, grass or trashof any kind. 1

With the foregoin and other objects and advantages in view, t' e invention consists in the referred construction and arrangement of t e several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

the drawings: Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section 46 through approximately one-half of the gate and runner organization of a turb ne 1nstallation, showing the improved gate stop means applied theretoand connected to and projecting upwardly from the bottom plate. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a portion of the gate and runner organization of "a turbine installation, showing the imroved sto means secured to and dependfrom t e top late. 8. is a horizontal section through a portion of a turbine installation, showing the gates and a guide vane together with the improved sto means within the gates, the gates being s own in open and closed ositions, respectively, in full and dotted Only so much of, a turbine installation that is necessary to illustrate the practical operation of the features of the present invention has been shown in the accompanying drawings, and therein the numeral 5 designates the top plate, 6 the bottom plate, 7 t e gates mounted-between the said top and bottom plates, 9 the runner or wheel to whichthe water supply is controlled by the operation of the gates, and 10 and 11 the bearingorganizations respectively associated with t e plates 5 and 6. for the upwardly projecting gate stems 12 and the lower journal or pivot members 13. As will be readily -understood, the runner 9 has free rotative movement inside of the gates and comprises a pluralit of buckets 14. The gates as now common y constructed are referably of the shape shown by Fig. 3 an are cored out as at 15 and 16 respectively in the longer and shorter sides 17 and 18. The openings formed by coring out the gates at. specified extend fully through the vertical length of the gates, and as shown by Fig. 3, a cored guide vane 18" is also adapted to be associated with the gates and carried by a part 19 of the frame of the turbine installation. The gate stems 12 project through the bearing organizations 10 for attachment to suitable gate-operating means, but the features of the present invention are not confined to gates operated from their upper extremities, as it may be equally well used with gates controlled by shiftable means cooperatin with the lower ends of the gates. All 0 the features thus far described are well known in the art of turbine installations and form' no part of the features of the present invention.

' The invention consists, as hereinbefore indicated, of providing'stop means to revent the gates from swinging around t eir stems beyond a predetermined point and avoid contact of the gates with the buckets of the runner when breakage of the connections for any one or more of the gates may have ensued, thus eliminating possibility of-expensive dama e to the runner buckets. The means emp oyed to serve as a stop for the gates pre erably consists of a pin 20 secured in and projecting upwardly from the inner portion of the bottom plate 6 as shown by Figs. 1 and 3, or depending "from the inner portion of the upper plate 5, as at 21, Fig. 2. These pins extend into the openings formed by the cored out longer extremities 17 of the gates, the said pins being disposed at regular distances apart and in accordance with the mounting of the gates and may be very easily applied in operative position at a minimum expense. The pins 20 or 21 respectively projecting upwardly from the late 5 are enclosed in the openings formed by the cored out portions 15 of the longer sides or extremities 17 of'the gates and are so placed relatively. to the movement of the gate that they will prevent either extremity of the gate, and particularly the longer extremity of each gate, from extending 1nwardly beyond the inner edge of the top or bottom plate and thus avoid contact with the buckets 14 of the runner or wheel. The improved gate stop1 means is particularly adapted for use wit any form of gate having the cored out portions or openings formed therein. I

. Where gates are protected by means of breakable link connections between the stems or other portions of the gates and operating means such as the gate ring and governor mechanism and when one or more of these breakable links are fractured, thereby releasing an obstructed gate or gates, it is sometimes possible for the gates to swing around their stems so that either the front or rear end is pointing straightv inward towards the runner. In general, the outer end of the gate is longer than the front end, and therefore the former end usually swings in towards the runner, and in many types and designs of turbines this outer end of the gate is long enough to strike the runner should it point straight inward, thereby damaging or perhaps smashing the runner entirely. The inven tion is also equally efi'ective in limiting the movement of ates which are not protected.

by breakable links and at a time when either the gate lever or gate stem, or whatever means is used to move the ate, becomes broken and leaves the gate ree to swing around its center and follow the flow of water in towards the runner. It is therefore to be understood that the improved gate stop means is not limited in its application.

The gates having the improved stop devices associated therewith are free to move fully from closed to open position as re-' quired by normal operation, but when the gate connecting mechanism of whatever nature it may be becomes broken and liberates any one of the gates, the stop means.

lower plate 6 or depending from-the top in the preferred form asshown and as hereinbefore described strikes the one side wall of the liberated gate as indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, and as a consequence the gate will be held against inwardproje'ction into the path of operation of the runner and no damage ensues. In applying the pins 20 or 21", they can be very readily tapped or fastened in the bottom or totp late or in any other available part 0 t e turbine structure and may be of any size, form or material, it being only necessary that the stop pins clear the gate in either the closed or open position and of sufiicient strength to prevent the gates from swinging intothe runner. Moreover, as hereinbefore indicated, the position of the pins within the cored out portions of the gates leaves the water passages between'the gates absolutely free or .clear of any obstructing means or projection that might gather and eifect an accumulation of leaves, trash or other matter in the water passages.

What is claimed as ew is 1. The combination with a turbine and runner, of gate means mounted to have pivotal swinging operation and provided with an open space therein with opposite wall portions, and stop means secured to a part of the turbine and projectin into the open space of the gate means an concealed within the latter and operative with relation to said wall portions to limit the movement of the gate means in the event of breakage of the operating devices therefor.

2. The combination with a turbine installation including a runner and pivoted gates having an end portion with walls, of stop pin means extending into the gates between the said walls without interfering \viththe normal opening and closing movements of the latterbut preventing abnormal free movement thereof relatively to the runner.

3. The combination with a turbine installation including a runner with buckets and pivotall mounted gates controlling the supply 0 water to the runner, of stop means extending into and enclosed and concealed within portions of the gates to engage opposite portions of the latter to obstruct abnormal free movement of the gates.

4. The combination with a turbine installation including a runner with buckets, upper and lower plates and pivotally mounted ates controllin the supply of water to 516 runner and aving open portions with opposing walls, of means extending into the" open portions of the gates between the said walls at a predetermined distance from the pivotal connections of the latter to obstruct free abnormal movement of the gates and prevent parts of the gates from striking the runner.

5. The combination with a turbine in stallation including a runner having buckets, upper and lower plates and gates pivotally mounted between the said plates to control the supply of water to the runner, the gates having cored out openings extending therethrough, of stop means secured to one of the plates and loosely pro- 'ecting into a part of the cored out openlngs to limit the abnormal free movement 10 of the gates and prevent engagement of parts thereof with the runner.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARALD 'SYVERTSEN. 

